Christmas Wishes
by Goku Girl
Summary: Vegeta goes Christmas shopping.


Note: This is my response for the Christmas challenge on the DBZ Fanfic ML. Minor Veggie OOC-ness.

**Christmas Wishes**

A poker game. It has all begun with poker. A silly card game that he wasn't at all good at, but he played it anyway because his pride was at stake. Little pride could do once he discovered the loser's task. It was more than a little humiliating and more than a little difficult.

But he would do it, just as Bulma knew he would.

"Here's the list Vegeta," Bulma said as she handed him a fairly long sheet of paper. "Now get *exactly* what's on there and we'll wrap it tonight."

"How much crap do these brats need anyway?" he asked. "Most of it is useless!"

"It's not all for them. Goku, ChiChi, Gohan, Goten, Pan, Videl.. EVERYONE has something on that list."

"Back on Vegeta-sei," he proclaimed even as Bulma sighed in annoyance. Not another 'back on Vegeta-sei' story. "we didn't celebrate such nonsense. The whole holiday is idiotic. Giving gifts to each other, spreading cheer... Nonsense!"

Bulma crossed her arms and turned her back to him. "Well if you feel that way, I can take your present back to the store."

Vegeta's face underwent a change. The scowl vanished almost as fast as it initially appeared and he looked at her with feigned disinterest. "You did? What did you get me?"

She began to walk off towards the kitchen. "You'll never know unless you go shopping." He intercepted Bulma at the doorway.

"Give me your car keys and some money," he sighed at last.

She smirked. "I thought that would change your mind."

***

After questioning Bulma thoroughly on the best places to shop, she finally gave him a suitable answer. The Satan City Mall; the biggest one on that side of the country.

Satan-san dedicated the building to himself, as he did almost everything in his namesake city, and officially opened it last summer. Everyone in town flocked to the grand opening sales and of course this included Bulma as well. Every single day for a week, she came home with several bags of what Vegeta had officially dubbed "useless crap". Bulma, with a mysterious twinkle in her eye, had said 'we'll see' and he had. In a most satisfying way. When the couple went into their room for the night, they didn't emerge until after noon the next day. That certainly would be a night to remember.

Now Vegeta had a certain amount of respect for the huge building.

He drove into the parking lot that day, Christmas Eve, and hunted for about twenty minutes for a parking space. Finally frustrated, Vegeta Final Flashed the next car he saw, and took their spot. He could only smirk at what the owner would do when they were ready to leave.

Levitating from the ground, he began to fly towards the main entrance. The few people who hadn't hid because of the blast, looked up in shock to see him in the air.

"You people really should be used to this by now," he said to them. "So many people can fly."

Reaching the door, he yanked it open to step inside the dark interior of the shopping center.

"First on this stupid list," he muttered, "is 'Poo-Chi for Bra'." He blinked in confusion. "What the hell is a Poo-Chi?"

So he asked the first person who passed by. Picking the man up by his collar, he pulled him close. "Do you know what a 'Poo-Chi' is?"

"Uh," he stuttered, "it's a toy. An electronic puppy."

Nodding he dropped the terrified man to the floor. "Arigatou."

"No problem," was the squeaked response.

"Toy stores," he muttered, "toy stores." Vegeta glanced at the directory. "There's a KB toy store." Nodding with satisfaction, he moved toward the escalator.

Upon arriving, he spotted a mob of people around the checkout counter waving tickets. After questioning a passing store clerk, he discovered that the store had received a special shipment of Playstation 2's.

"Please don't tell me that this is on the list." He looked and grunted with annoyance. "Of course it is."

Pushing and shoving to the front, he snatched a ticket from one woman.

"Hey!" She shouted as she tried to take it back. Vegeta glared and shook his head.

"Onna," he said, "if you want to keep those fingers, you better move them away from my face."

Somehow knowing that the short prince would keep his promise, she complied. Then a man brought out several large boxes on a dolly.

"Mine!" One man shouted. "I have one!"

Tripping one man and elbowing another, Vegeta made his way over to a box. "Give me on now," he demanded.

"Sir, do you have ticket number one?" the worker asked.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Sir, do you have a deathwish?" he mimicked. And to further emphasize his point, he began to gather ki on the tip on his index finger.

Gulping and shaking, the man pulled out a PS2 box and gave it to the saiyan. Vegeta smirked and nodded.

"Good choice."

The Poo-Chi was a bit harder to locate. KB was completely out of them so he had to find another store.

"I need a Poo-Chi," he announced as he entered Sakura's Toys.

"Sir, what color?" A saleswoman asked.

"There are different colors?!"

"Of course. There are blue ones, purple ones with blue trim, gold ones with brown trim, silver ones with green trim, misty blue ones with green trim, dark blue ones with silver trim, silver ones with aqua trim, red and black ones, silver with pink trim..."

"Okay, okay!" He shouted, making several people jump. "I'll take," he glanced at the list again. "a dark blue one with silver trim."

The woman punched a few things into her computer. "I'm sorry, but we've just sold out of that color."

"You what?" he growled. Without giving her a chance to answer, he turned and shouted out into the store. "Who the hell just bought the last dark blue and silver Poo-Chi?!"

A woman stepped bravely forward. "I did. It's for my son."

Vegeta narrowed his eyes and ground his teeth together. "I need that for my daughter. It's what color she wants. A princess should get whatever she wishes."

"I'm not giving it up," she spat out.

"Oh really?" He smirked and began to power up, after placing his other bag gently onto the floor. "We'll just see after a moment."

The other customers quickly backed away, creating a large circle around the two. Setting her bags down, the brunette got into a fighting stance.

"Oh how brave," Vegeta said sarcastically. "Too bad it won't save your life."

Vegeta was two seconds away from lunging at her when he heard an annoying voice.

A familiar annoying voice.

"Konichi-wa Veggie-chan!"

"Kakarott," he growled while turning. "What the hell do you want?"

"Vegeta," Goku scolded as he came over to the crowd. "are you threatening people again?"

"She won't give me her damn toy! Bra wants it for Christmas and she bought the last one!"

Goku tapped his finger against his cheek. "You know, Bra would probably be just as satisfied with another one. Miss," he called to the woman, "do you have another blue one?"

She nodded, more than a little scared. "There in aisle four."

Vegeta frowned, picked up his bag, and began to make his way over to the aisle while Goku apologized to the woman for his friends' behavior. Everyone in it quickly moved away. He picked up another blue interactive puppy and stalked over to the counter.

"Cash, check, or charge?" She questioned him. Vegeta brought out Bulma's Capsule Corp. Platinum Preferred Member credit card.

"Charge," He forced out between clenched teeth.

***

It was late afternoon by the time Vegeta had purchased more than half everything on the list, so he went to the food court to get some dinner. Goku had helped him the whole time, pointing things out, commenting on cute babies, playing with the toys, and generally making an ass of himself. They were both toting about 15 bags from various places, before Vegeta thought to ask why he was even there in the first place.

"Well, ChiChi and I came here to shop for the kids," he said. "As soon as were entered the mall, she told me to get lost."

"A wise decision," Vegeta muttered.

"Nani?"

"Nothing."

Finally they came to an all-you-can-eat buffet and stood a bit until someone led them to a seat.

"We have a booth right over here," the hostess said, "it's perfect for couples."

As she walked away, Vegeta pondered what she had said. "Couples?" He gasped. "Does that onna think that were-?"

His thought was confirmed when a couple of men smiled and winked in their direction.

"OH MY KAMI!"

"Nani Veggie-chan? What's wrong?" Goku questioned curiously. He hadn't been paying the least bit of attention to those other people.

"These bakas think that we're gay!"

"They do?" Goku blinked. "What does that mean again?"

Vegeta sweatdropped. "Nevermind."

Soon their meal was consumed and the check settled and they were once again walking the halls of the mall.

"Are we about done?" Vegeta asked Goku. He had made him the official list keeper after Goku begged him for more to do.

The taller saiyan nodded. "Did you get a gift for Bulma and the kids from yourself?"

Vegeta stopped in his tracks, mouth working without any sound at all. "Iie," he squeaked.

Goku looked up. "Oops. There's ChiChi. I have to go." He passed Vegeta the piece of paper and began to walk away.

"Wait Kakarott! I don't know what to do!"

"Just get them whatever you feel is perfect for them. Look into your heart."

"Look into my heart," Vegeta repeated. He moved to a nearby bench, suddenly depressed. "What can one do with a heat made of stone?"

***

Vegeta sat there for quite some time, fully taking advantage of the later holiday hours. He sighed at length, however, and stood to begin his search.

"What do I get Trunks," he mused aloud. "besides ten years of lost love?" He walked past several stores until he saw it, the perfect gift.

It was a picture frame, simple to some people, but this one had on it in bold black letters "World's Greatest Son". Quickly going inside and purchasing it, he moved to one of those instant picture booths. Vegeta sat there, not frowned but not smiling either, and received his things.

"Now for Bra. I always said that she was my little princess and I've always shown that I love her. There's nothing to give." Then he thought of it. "But have I ever told her so?"

He walked to the tee-shirt place, one of those that you can get certain things printed on a shirt. He knew that the printing would take a while so he hoped that there was one already made up.

There was, in fact, once just to his liking. It was a white shirt that had blue around the collar and cuffs, the same blue as Bra's eyes, and on the front it had a scepter and a name tag that said "Hi! I'm Daddy's Little Princess". It was perfect.

He bought it too and the purchase brought him one step closer to completion.

Vegeta took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself for the final trial. Bulma's gift.

"Jewelry," He said. "Onna's love jewelry."

The jewelry store was right by the exit, on the lower floor. He sort of had to struggle down the escalator with his ten or so bags. He made it there, just as they were closing, and walked over to the counter.

"I need a ring," he announced.

"What design sir?" The man questioned. Vegeta pointed out one that looked like the style Bulma had said that she liked. It had two diamonds on either side of a bright blue sapphire. The band itself was solid 24ct. gold. "This particular ring is 86,610 yen."

"I'll take it. I need you to engrave it."

"That will take up to a week."

Vegeta glared and leaned over the counter. "I don't think I'm making myself clear. I need you to engrave it, NOW!"

"Sir, that can not happen. It takes time..." Vegeta reached into his pocket and pulled forth a wad of bills. Throwing them onto the counter, he smirked.

"Will this shorten the time?" he asked.

"Considerably! What do you want it to say?"

"Forever yours."

"That's it?"

"Hai. That's all there needs to be."

***

Twenty minutes later Vegeta was standing in the parking lot as heavy snow gently floated to the ground. He walked over to the lot where Bulma's car was parked and got there just in time to see it being towed away. Parking in a handicapped place without a handicapped sticker.

"DAMN IT!!"

He had to make a choice. Ether drop the bags and go after the tow truck or go home and get it out of the impound lot before Bulma notices that it's gone.

Well, that wasn't a hard question. Not hard at all.

And so Vegeta flew home that night.


End file.
